Fixture Fascination

Homeowners are putting greater emphasis on details and are creating different focal points of their rooms. They are placing more consideration into the look a certain finish can offer, leaning toward brushed metals that create a softer feel.

Manufacturers are playing on this trend by offering matching accessories for the bath — taking coordinated suites to the next level and highlighting corresponding fixtures and furnishings. In addition, manufacturers are producing high-end products at price points that make them more accessible to the masses, and designs that reflect the varying tastes of consumers.

An assessment by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) reveals that the top three leading bathroom faucet finishes today are chrome with 59 percent of the market, stainless steel in second with 14 percent and polished brass in third with 13 percent. “These metals are more popular because the soft look they offer the homeowner,” says Diana Schrage, interior designer, Kohler Design Center.

These metals may hold a strong grasp on the market, yet there is still a large collection outside this realm of finishes for homeowners to choose from, such as brushed bronze, brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze and much more. Many manufacturers see oil-rubbed bronze gaining in popularity among homeowners. “It offers a darker finish,” says Jeff Pratt, vice president of sales, Danze.

The style of design

According to the 2002 Design Trend Survey by NKBA, the top bathroom function/feature is decorative faucets. In addition, the data reveals that homeowners want larger, more luxurious bathrooms, leading the way for three major design trends: traditional, contemporary and transitional. Manufacturers are meeting these demands with a plethora of style options. Each style is unique and is sure to find its match with the homeowner that loves the look it can offer.

Traditional designs offer ornate and decorative or relatively simple styles. Danze, which entered the U.S. market in 2000 as a manufacturer of premium showerhead faucets and bath accessories, offers the Opulence collection to meet the demands for traditional designs, which is called Victorian in style. This line offers rounded, decorative and ornate styles. Pratt adds that traditional designs are a sound performer, and calls the faucet “the diamond of the bathroom. The faucet is the focal point and the drive and feel of the room.”

THG Paris, a family-owned custom-crafted faucet and bathroom fixture company, also meets the demands for traditional designs with its Bellagio line. The Bellagio faucet has contoured handles and angles and is available in more than 100 finishes with matching accessories. THG Paris collaborated with crystal designer Lalique to offer fine crystal in its line of products. The Bellagio faucet handles are inset with Lalique crystal, designed to offer the look of luxury for the bathroom. “The traditional design is very strong,” says Jerry Abel, managing director, THG USA, the U.S. affiliate of THG Paris.

Contemporary designs are starting to gain a foothold in bathroom design trends. These designs feature cylindrical and square-shaped faucets and fixtures. Brizo, a brand of Delta, offers the Quiessence collection to meet the needs of the new trends. This line features simple geometric lines with added radiuses. LaManda Dorval, product marketing manager for Brizo, says the faucet “is like putting jewelry in your home.”

The transitional trend mixes both ornate and decorative traditional designs with the geometric lines of contemporary designs. “It combines the past with the luxury of today,” Dorval says, adding that it is considered eclectic. An example is the Bannockburn by Danze. The styling of this faucet is tall and sleek, and is designed to complement contemporary or traditional environments.

The vessel sink